Health Care Debate
Posted by Jeff Pruitt - 7/2/09 @ 9:13 am - Filed Under National Politics
Both sides of this argument have not presented a very compelling case. At the end of the day nobody has addressed the fundamental issue - namely that Americans are fat, lazy and gorge themselves with low quality foods. Until somebody figures out how to address that issue we aren’t going to make any progress.
How will “finding efficiencies” pay for more coverage? Does anybody really believe that? We will still spend the same amount of money regardless and that’s the real problem - the current growth in health care costs are unsustainable.
And what about the “private insurance for all” nonsense? What are we to do about the fact that some people are completely uninsurable? For example the cost of their care (perhaps even in one year) vastly outweighs the wages they will likely earn over their lifetime. They want to force a private insurer to cover this person? It guarantees that they will lose money. So why would they agree to it; because they can overcharge everyone else of course.
That’s not insurance by any stretch of the imagination. That’s socialization - pure and simple. In fact we’ve already got a socialized system. People with health insurance are paying for those that don’t. Private coverage for all is just a way to socialize the risk and privatize the profits - something government has always done remarkably well…
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Americans are “fat, lazy and gorge themselves.”
Interesting comment and true. And yes the “healthcare reform” debate ignores this. Time for me to “weigh in.”
Jeff, let’s go with that insightful comment. Now what? How about this?
Let’s pay, publicly or privately) for healthcare period.
We call our “system” a healthcare system but really it is an “illness-care” system, and a sick one at that.
The USA ranks a dismal 7th on infant mortality incidence and 26th on average life expectancy,according to the World Health Organization.
And public programs like Medicare and Medicaid and Hoosier Healthwise pay for “illness care.”
How about “health care?”
This is the USA! We cherish being number one, and we are number one on the cost–the most expensive healthcare system on the planet. Yet, we are not even in the top ten on healthcare quality results.
So let’s go with your insightful comment. How about an incentive to try to be healthy and pay for that? How about a public policy promoting healthy living?
Health care education and illness prevention are offered by some medical practices in Fort Wayne but not all.
Why? It’s not paid for. Yet, this may be the key to avoiding going to the “healthcare system” when ill. Many sicknesses can be prevented with “health prevention” and healthy responsible living. And more importantly, so can life-ending conditions. like cancer and more.
I have no easy answer to this but I think, Jeff, your astute observation should be at least encouraged by the healthcare policies of this nation.
Jeff….edits:
Let’s pay, publicly or privately, for healthcare period.
We call our “system” a healthcare system but really it is an “illness-care” system, and a sick one at that.
The USA ranks a dismal 37th on infant mortality incidence and 26th on average life expectancy,according to the World Health Organization.
Not everyone who gets sick is “fat and lazy.” That is indeed, a very strange assumption. I see “fat and lazy” as a red herring to distract us from the fact the fat or thin, healthy or sick, we are getting ripped off by insurance and pharmaceutical companies. Yes, many people are overweight, but some are not sick. My daughter, an athlete, was stricken at age 26, in 2001, with a severe case of Rheumatoid Arthritis, an auto-immune disease with no genetic origins…just fate. Her medication weakened further her immune system, and now she has a fungal infection of the lungs. She is unable to work full time, does not want to be indigent; wants to contribute her fair share…but how? Health care is no longer just a fringe benefit as it was after WWII. If you remember the musical “Oklahoma”, the “fringe” is now the whole “surrey” top to bottom. Because of my daughter’s illness, over the past 6 years I have made an exhaustive study of private health insurance. As a social worker, I am already proficient in Medicare A,B,C, and D and also Medicaid. Single payer, universal coverage is the only way we can manage health acre costs and cover everyone. There is a bill, HR 676, that if passed, would automatically save Americans $350 billion per year by eliminating the administrivia and waste of private health insurance companies; who by the way, have no product. Insurance comanies should be disbanded, and the government act as the contractor for us. We all pay on our Medicare taxes…we all are a huge pool where the 20% (the actual statistic if those who use health care more than the average) are helped by the 80% who are healthy. Those 80% know, and can count on being covered when they, or a family member gets sick. Everybody in, nobody out. It’s good for business and people alike…Insurance and Big Pharma have far too much power. Think of “We the People” as a corporation bigger than Walmart…why are we paying the highest rates in the world for health care? Our employee, the government, can utilize cost control measures, such as global budgeting, bulk purchasing, negotiated fees and planned capital expenditures in our interest. We can do this..and we should do this. Each American needs to be free from the job lock of health insurance. We need entrepreneurs more than ever…but if you have a child with asthma, you’re likely stuck with your employer’s plan. If you are 50 or older, likely you may not be able to purchase an individual plan due to some major,or minor, pre-existing condition. Lets’ think bigger. Let’s use our government to save ourselves. Not Wall Street.
Edith,
Of course not. Even the healthiest people on the planet can be stricken with an illness, cancer, etc. That is precisely what insurance should be for. But many people are ill because of poor lifestyle choices. Fat and lazy people spend a lot of money on health care in this country as do the elderly. So it seems to me that we need to address those two issues if we claim we’re going to “solve the problem.”
Even if everyone had healthcare tomorrow it wouldn’t change the fact that we spend too much money on it. As a society we need to determine how much healthcare the elderly should receive and we also need to find a way to incentivise the fat and lazy to take up healthier lifestyles.
I have no idea how to actually do that but I know simply “finding efficiencies” won’t cut it.
I have a real concern with a point of view that wants “As a society we need to determine how much healthcare the elderly should receive.”
When statements like that are made I really need clarification.
Howevcr, I do agree with that weight and lifestyle add to the likelihood of illness. Unfortunately, for many of us, a visit to the doctor does not result in advice relating to good nutrition or a regular exercise regimen.
Rather, this type of visit results in another prescription and a condescending attitude.
We all need to find a way to be better stewards of our entire environment.
A broad view is imperative when it comes to this serious issue.
You’re right - probably needs clarification. What I mean by that is insurance providers (private/government/etc) must determine how much money they want to spend for care of the elderly. Is spending $1 million to extend someone’s life by 6 months justifiable? This is an moral and financial question for the providers and the rest of the insured (e.g. all of society).
The more we spend on care for the elderly the more we all have to pay throughout the course of our lives. As technology improves we will be able to extend lifespans longer and longer but at greater and greater cost. There must be a discussion about the extent to which insurance should provide these services.
Of course you should always be allowed to pay for your own care outside of the insurance pool no matter what the cost or what services you desire…
First off, healthcare is not a right. No one is guarenteed healthcare. It is not like free speech, freedom of the press, religious freedom.
I have never seen where it has been stated people have the right to food, shelter and clothing. All of theses are needs, but are not rights. Food and shelter are definitely more important in the short term than healthcare, yet for some reason, healthcare seems to have taken center stage.
It is my opinion that a family needs to take care of themselves first, prior to attempting to help someone else. If you are unable to help yourself, you have no business trying to help someone else. This means that Medicare taxes take from families first needs (their own healthcare) and gives presidence to seniors (2.9% of wages). Not only this, but the family gets hit with an increase in their own healthcare costs when Medicare shifts costs to everyone else.
Medicare started with good intentions, but without limits, controls and individuals demanding ever more (catastrophic coverage 1986 and Rx drug coverage) they are killing the system for everyone.